2015 Finn World Masters – Narrow lead for Martijn van Muyden

by Robert Deaves on 27 May 2015 2015 Finn World Masters – Twelve years on from his last major Finn regatta Martijn van Muyden (NED) has taken a narrow lead in Kavala, Greece from Yuri Tokovoi (UKR) and Vladimir Krutskikh (RUS). However, the story of the day was 70-year-old Henry Sprague (USA) winning the first race to give him a clear lead in the Legend fleet at the half way stage of the regatta. Other race wins went to Thierry Van Vierssen (NED), Dmitry Petrov (RUS) and Laurent Hay (FRA).

After a two hour delay to wait for the sea breeze to fill in, two more races were sailed in a building breeze that topped out at about 10-14 knots in the second race, while in the first it remained light and patchy. The second race produced simply superb sailing conditions with great waves for the downwind legs so everyone had a great time, wherever they were in the fleet. It doesn't get much better for Finn sailors than surfing downwind in nice waves, a solid breeze, 28 degrees and brilliant sunshine.

In Yellow group, the first race produced some high scores for some of the front runners, with some new faces at the front. Jake Gunther (AUS) led at the top from the Legend that is Henry Sprague (USA). Sprague took the lead on the second upwind to win from Dmitry Petrov (RUS) and Mihail Kopanov (BUL). Petrov went one better in the second race to pass the initial race leader Marc Allain des Beauvais (FRA). Walter Riosa (ITA) crossed in third.

In the blue group there were also two winners. Thierry Van Vierssen (NED) led all the way in the first race of the day to win from Andre Budzien (GER) and Martijn van Muyden (NED). In the second race Laurent Hay (FRA) rounded the top mark in fourth, before moving into the lead downwind for the race win from Paul McKenzie (AUS) and Yuri Tokovoi (UKR).

With four races now completed, the championship is valid, but one more is needed to be able to hold the medal race on Friday. Forecasts for the rest of the week show further challenging light wind conditions, though everyone here wants more of what we had today. Only two points separate the top four boats.

Overall leader van Muyden was one of the world's best Finn sailors a decade ago but hasn't sailed a major regatta since 2003. He said, “It's all pretty close so far. I think the Finn Masters is really nice. The competition is great. For me I initially thought that something in the top 10 wold be ideal, but I haven't really sailed that much since I stopped. I didn't really know what to expect especially as there have been some changes in gear and I am still using my old boat and mast, but with a new sail. It is pretty hard here and many people are going really fast so it's a very good competition. Hopefully more of the older guys will join us. Many still have their Finn.”

On his strategy for the racing. “I think here you shouldn't take too much risk. Basically take the beat from the layline and watch the other competitors to decide where to go. Just try to avoid too much risk at the start and on the beat.” It is also his first expedience of free pumping. “Yesterday we had it for one race and today we had none, but I got a yellow flag on the final reach today. There's still four races to go so lots still can happen.”

His countryman van Vierseen said of his race win, “I started about three-quarters of the way down the line. For me it was perfect as I had enough speed to come out of the group and sail free. So I tacked away and led at the first mark. I was lucky to stay in front. Nothing else changed. It was a nice race, good for me.”

“The competition here is excellent. Very professional guys and I know them for quite a long time. I said to the guys this morning that I am so happy to be here for a holiday but I miss the 'fire', what I need to win. And luckily today it went well, but I need to be more aggressive. I am really enjoying it.”

Yellow Group Race three winner Sprague, won the Grand Grand Masters last year and is now a Legend (70 years and older). This could be the first time a Legend has won a race at the Masters. He explained his race. “On the third start [after the recalls] I nailed the start and got right into a good position, dropped over and and my boat was really moving well. I didn't worry about the boats around me I just sailed toward the mark on the shifts and I got some really good wind shifts. I got to the top mark in second and held on downwind. There was a really nice guy from Australia [Jake Gunther] in front and and we talked a little bit. I said. “You can get first place, I'd be happy with second.” So we are going up the second beat and at one point we got this big header and I tacked into a big lead and I had him by 10 boatlengths. Then there was a Russian coming up fast behind on the run, but I pulled out and realised I might win this, Then I got really happy.”

“It was so exciting to get the gun. I don't think I have ever got the gun at a Masters worlds before. It was a great moment of joy. And I didn't get it by hitting a corner, but by playing the wind shifts. I sailed a good race.” Sprague is being coached here by Olympic campaigner Björn Allansson (SWE).

Hay said of his win. “It was very tricky because we had a very long line and if you didn't have a good position your race was over. In the first race I made a mistake on the line but in the second race I was fourth at the top, and had good speed on the downwind. The conditions are very tricky because there is a lot of different pressures on the race area and it is very difficult to see.”

The fleet is full of rock stars, but real life rock star Gunther told his side of the story, “I got some nice pressure out of the left and got across the fleet comfortably. I had a conversation with Henry the whole way round When we lined up for the pin he was trying to talk me into going at about 20 seconds. I understood the humour involved.”

“But then I got gobbled up on the second beat as soon as the younger guys with their lightweight sails got some clean air and some room. But it was a good race and a lot of fun and I was able to hold my position most of the way round until the second upwind. The second race was a similar scenario. I started at the pin and waited and crossed across again but it was nice to see Marc dominate that race. It was very lumpy. A lot of grunt but a lot of fun.”

McKenzie said on his first Finn World Masters experience, “It's much harder than I expected. The standard is pretty high and there are a lot of god guys here. I have only seen one group so far as it didn't change much, but it's a really good level. The conditions are tricky. The second race was great, but the first race was really hard and once you get back a bit, it's hard to get through the fleet. You have to get out to a side and if you do it night not be the right wide. It hasn't always been the same side that is favoured.”

Third overall, Krutskikh, is also sailing his first Masters. “It's not only my first Masters but also my first event for many years. There are lots of good sailors and very difficult conditions. It's not easy for me as a lot of guys have very good body condition and good equipment. Its also very difficult to get a good start and a good first beat. I am happy but I hope tomorrow we have more wind so we have free pumping which is better for me.”

Racing in Kavala continues until Friday with one more race scheduled on Wednesday at 14.00 after the Annual Masters Meeting is held in the morning. You can follow live race by race finishes on the event website each day.

Full results

Provisioning Results

Rank	Sailors				Races Results				Total  Points	Penalty  Points
	Name	Division	Bow	Sail	1	2	3	4
1.	Martijn Van Muyden	M	204	NED 12	2	6	3	4	15	15
2.	Yuriy Tokovoy	GM	201	UKR 21	1	1	11	3	16	16
3.	Vladimir Krutskikh	M	82	RUS 7	4	1	5	6	16	16
4.	Dmitry Petrov	M	114	RUS 711	12	2	2	1	17	17
5.	Giacomo Giovanelli	M	123	ITA 202	6	4	9	9	28	28
6.	Karel Van hellemond	M	118	NED 41	1	12	9	11	33	33
7.	Laurent HAY	GM	18	FRA 75	3	6	29	1	39	39
8.	Pete Eckert	M	93	SUI 86	3	7	20	12	42	42
9.	Thierry Van Vierssen	M	186	NED 881	24	9	1	10	44	44
10.	Walter Riosa	M	74	ITA 55	9	10	22	3	44	44
11.	Mihail Kopanov	GM	86	BUL 24	30	5	3	7	45	45
12.	Paul Mckenzie	M	199	AUS 11	4	11	33	2	50	50
13.	Aleksander Kuliukin	M	51	RUS 161	10	3	6	31	50	50
14.	Vladimir Stasyuk	M	185	UKR 14	21	9	6	14	50	50
15.	Henry Sprague III	L	196	SWE 6	10	5	1	36	52	52
16.	Eric Bakker	GM	183	NED 703	7	18	25	6	56	56
17.	Juergen Eiermann	M	46	GER 8	23	8	16	14	61	61
18.	Martin Hughes	GM	63	GBR 567	15	17	19	13	64	64
19.	Francesco Cinque	GGM	121	ITA 5	8	26	5	27	66	66
20.	Marco Buglielli	GM	140	ITA 2	20	11	4	33	68	68
21.	Allen Burrell	GM	67	GBR 2	6	2	58	4	70	70
22.	Tauras Rymonis	M	28	LTU 7	12	17	15	26	70	70
23.	Audoin Michel	GM	22	FRA 38	9	10	36	23	78	78
24.	Akos Lukats	M	191	HUN 50	11	32	24	13	80	80
25.	Jan Eckert	GM	94	SUI 85	14	19	25	25	83	83
26.	Michael Staal	GM	193	DEN 80	17	30	22	15	84	84
27.	Jake Gunther	GM	131	AUS 3	36	25	12	12	85	85
28.	Panagiotis Davourlis	GM	3	GRE 71	40	8	21	17	86	86
29.	Jean-Pierre Lostis	GM	98	FRA 84	18	16	23	30	87	87
30.	Wouter Molenaar	GGM	124	NED 2	2	44	10	34	90	90
31.	Gino Bucciarelli	M	128	ITA 67	22	21	31	20	94	94
32.	Alexei Marchevsky	M	152	RUS 20	31	31	24	10	96	96
33.	Geza Huszar	M	189	HUN 5	21	29	16	33	99	99
34.	Florian Demetz	M	35	ITA 89	16	22	26	37	101	101
35.	Andre Budzien	GM	192	GER 711	59	33	2	8	102	102
36.	Vladimir Butenko	M	146	RUS 21	5	3	67	27	102	102
37.	Philippe Lobert	GM	16	FRA 66	19	14	45	24	102	102
38.	Oleg Khudyakov	M	106	RUS 16	43	28	13	19	103	103
39.	MARTIN PLECITY	GM	78	CZE 318	20	26	18	39	103	103
40.	Majth Zsombor	M	32	HUN 88	16	15	57	19	107	107
41.	Greg Wilcox	GM	116	NZL 15	29	41	21	16	107	107
42.	Andrew Bill	GM	101	RUS 27	5	35	29	42	111	111
43.	Marek Jarocki	M	6	POL 100	58	15	19	21	113	113
44.	Marc Allain des Beauvais	GM	73	FRA 99	54	7	53	2	116	116
45.	Chiel Barends	GM	136	NED 88	32	20	20	44	116	116
46.	Jean-Louis Simons	GM	12	GBR 617	38	37	4	38	117	117
47.	Andre Skarka	GM	7	POL 2	29	22	41	25	117	117
48.	Will Patten	GM	37	GBR 52	17	19	18	65	119	119
49.	Till Klammer	M	48	SUI 25	25	20	32	43	120	120
50.	Bernd Moser	GM	171	AUT 11	26	36	30	28	120	120
51.	Jan Willem Kok	M	195	NED 780	60	23	14	24	121	121
52.	Axel Schroeder	M	164	GER 194	32	47	28	15	122	122
53.	Michael Maier	GM	169	CZE 1	7	4	10	DNF - 104	125	125
54.	Denikaev Felix	GM	122	RUS 41	8	DNE - 103	11	5	127	127
55.	Stepanov Sergey	M	85	RUS 205	18	25	23	63	129	129
56.	David Potter	GM	10	GBR 65	23	30	52	29	134	134
57.	Rodrick Casander	L	113	NED 8	28	41	7	64	140	140
58.	Jiri Outrata	GGM	107	CZE 8	14	27	54	47	142	142
59.	Philip Baum	GGM	61	RSA 51	41	35	14	53	143	143
60.	Antal Gabor	GGM	198	HUN 4	35	47	33	29	144	144
61.	Greg Davis	GM	79	RSA 1	24	38	68	16	146	146
62.	John Heyes	GM	56	GBR 61	31	32	76	8	147	147
63.	Henk de Jager	GGM	143	NED 11	19	31	55	43	148	148
64.	Peter Sipos	GM	127	HUN 2	30	33	62	23	148	148
65.	Carlo Lazzari	GM	179	SUI 3	61	48	8	32	149	149
66.	Joos Bos	GGM	119	NED 54	15	13	17	BFD - 104	149	149
67.	George Sklavounos	M	177	GRE 7	DNE - 103	13	12	22	150	150
68.	Enrico Passoni	GM	71	ITA 6	11	16	BFD - 104	20	151	151
69.	Boguslaw Nowakowski	GM	5	POL 26	33	23	66	30	152	152
70.	Andreas Bollongino	GM	66	GER 19	75	18	39	21	153	153
71.	Darren Gilbert	M	11	AUS 267	28	34	73	18	153	153
72.	Phil Chadwick	M	111	AUS 75	55	55	35	9	154	154
73.	Michael de Courcy	GM	57	GBR 708	74	29	42	11	156	156
74.	Sander Kooij	GM	188	GBR 1	39	12	68	37	156	156
75.	Taras Gavrysh	M	95	UKR 8	42	OCS - 103	8	5	158	158
76.	Beat Steffen	M	87	SUI 83	BFD - 103	24	13	31	171	171
77.	Yury Polovinkin	GGM	157	RUS 142	36	56	27	52	171	171
78.	Peter Kilchenmann	GM	184	SUI 13	47	42	45	38	172	172
79.	Anatoly Voshchchennikov	GM	125	RUS 25	47	21	54	51	173	173
80.	Uwe Barthel	GGM	34	GER 62	46	45	34	48	173	173
81.	Josef Jochovic	GM	134	CZE 67	25	38	82	32	177	177
82.	Stuart Skeggs	M	129	AUS 33	45	61	27	44	177	177
83.	Vladimir Skalicky	GM	104	CZE 75	57	59	37	26	179	179
84.	STOIL STOILOV	M	97	BUL 1	70	37	55	18	180	180
85.	Rolf Elsaesser	GGM	176	GER 202	27	69	50	34	180	180
86.	Luca Taruschio	M	166	ITA 73	42	39	53	47	181	181
87.	John Mackie	M	102	GBR 68	37	OCS - 103	15	28	183	183
88.	Pieter Risseeuw	M	84	NED 902	50	36	47	53	186	186
89.	Hans Zuurendonk	GM	99	NED 31	52	62	17	56	187	187
90.	Jan Zetzema	GGM	190	NED 50	40	53	40	55	188	188
91.	Volodymyr Bogomolkin	M	80	UKR 1	59	48	43	45	195	195
92.	Friedrich Muller	L	100	GER 146	22	42	70	62	196	196
93.	Robert Deaves	M	149	GBR 10	65	54	44	35	198	198
94.	Leonid Kleimann	GM	109	RUS 71	49	43	58	48	198	198
95.	Martin Atzwanger	GM	43	ITA 80	38	40	72	49	199	199
96.	Andreas Bohnsack	GM	50	RSA 571	41	49	60	49	199	199
97.	Pax van de Griend	GGM	148	NED 971	34	62	26	82	204	204
98.	Detlev Guminski	GGM	29	GER 92	63	54	28	61	206	206
99.	Rochet Joseph	GGM	62	FRA 40	64	46	30	66	206	206
100.	Holger Krasmann	GM	33	GER 122	49	46	35	76	206	206
101.	Fatzer Hans	GGM	17	SUI 1	64	27	48	70	209	209
102.	Franz Buergi	GM	130	SUI 12	63	43	39	67	212	212
103.	Ben Winters	L	31	NZL 3	34	70	52	58	214	214
104.	Gregor Stimpfl	GM	40	ITA 131	70	50	74	22	216	216
105.	Klaus Heufler	GM	39	ITA 85	DNF - 103	28	44	41	216	216
106.	Erich Scherzer	GM	64	AUT 21	75	51	31	60	217	217
107.	Radek Vit	M	168	CZE 308	87	45	34	52	218	218
108.	Lev Shnyr	M	36	RUS 13	44	34	BFD - 104	42	224	224
109.	Valentin Nikolov	M	161	BUL 855	90	60	37	39	226	226
110.	Alfred Braumueller	GM	65	AUS 302	66	53	67	40	226	226
111.	Jiri Huracek	GGM	41	SUI 4	13	78	57	83	231	231
112.	Aleksandar Aleksandrov	L	96	BUL 87	53	39	85	54	231	231
113.	Baumann Rudolf	GM	173	SUI 57	55	58	48	70	231	231
114.	Thomas Schmid	GM	170	GER 193	13	14	DNS - 104	DNS - 104	235	235
115.	Aleksandr Kasatov	GM	110	RUS 34	35	52	DNF - 104	45	236	236
116.	Evgeni Kplmykov	GM	203	RUS 729	68	24	84	63	239	239
117.	Roel Van Olst	GM	180	NED 922	27	68	DNE - 104	41	240	240
118.	Andy Denison	GM	42	GBR 20	62	44	83	51	240	240
119.	Bob Buchanan	GGM	172	AUS 6	58	71	38	74	241	241
120.	Petr Vinkl	GM	202	CZE 222	48	65	63	65	241	241
121.	Ricardo Reyes Anderson	GGM	200	ARG 1	51	88	41	62	242	242
122.	Peter Hubregtsen	GM	8	NED 22	26	79	36	BFD - 104	245	245
123.	Adomas Janulionis	M	91	LTU 29	43	72	70	61	246	246
124.	Nick Winters	M	30	NZL 43	81	50	61	55	247	247
125.	Filippo Petella	GM	132	ITA 1022	51	57	80	60	248	248
126.	Herbert Straub	GM	92	GER 5	83	66	46	56	251	251
127.	Tsvetan Penchev	GGM	162	BUL 2	84	59	51	57	251	251
128.	Csaba Stadler	M	158	HUN 69	37	64	69	82	252	252
129.	Ricardo Carvalho	GM	76	BRA 021	60	75	77	40	252	252
130.	Marti Bruno	M	182	SUI 8	88	83	7	75	253	253
131.	Boot Nanne	GGM	137	NED 10	68	57	64	64	253	253
132.	Ulf-Peter Pestel	GM	55	GER 222	61	61	65	67	254	254
133.	Theodore Georgiadis	GGM	70	GRE 90	76	56	78	46	256	256
134.	James Hunter	GGM	194	USA 23	71	80	59	46	256	256
135.	Triantafillos Mavroudis	GM	53	GRE 215	57	74	75	50	256	256
136.	Monus Gyula	M	175	HUN 972	93	64	65	35	257	257
137.	Peter Connally	GGM	4	USA 1214	89	67	42	59	257	257
138.	Nico van Wirdum	GM	83	NED 823	80	60	49	69	258	258
139.	peter van veen	GGM	147	NED 26	52	82	56	68	258	258
140.	Georg Siebeck	GGM	178	GER 293	87	85	38	50	260	260
141.	Szabolcs Andrik	M	112	HUN 27	45	63	81	71	260	260
142.	Peter Blick	GGM	59	GBR 34	66	86	74	36	262	262
143.	Peter Frissell	GM	181	USA 101	77	51	47	88	263	263
144.	Charles Heimler	GGM	155	USA 2	56	49	87	71	263	263
145.	Russell Ward	GM	52	GBR 4	74	52	81	57	264	264
146.	Ruurd Baerends	GGM	135	NED 4	33	71	BFD - 104	59	267	267
147.	Tamas Varga	M	165	HUN 44	82	63	49	73	267	267
148.	Bangerter Thomas	GM	115	SUI 65	53	81	59	75	268	268
149.	Guenter Kellermann	L	13	GER 89	69	76	50	79	274	274
150.	Martin Tas	M	160	NED 814	48	74	73	81	276	276
151.	Henk Meijer	GGM	187	NED 52	78	67	60	72	277	277
152.	Yves Zoccola	GGM	20	FRA 800	54	77	69	78	278	278
153.	Wobbe De Schiffart	GGM	145	NED 95	76	40	92	73	281	281
154.	Juliusz Reichelt	GM	117	POL 38	65	68	71	77	281	281
155.	Greg Clark	GGM	153	AUS 7	91	80	43	69	283	283
156.	Paul Brown	GGM	58	GBR 58	84	69	46	89	288	288
157.	Ray New	GGM	27	GBR 80	71	73	66	78	288	288
158.	Balazs Szuzs	GM	144	HUN 64	39	93	87	72	291	291
159.	Gelmus Peeters	L	141	NED 93	DNF - 103	97	75	17	292	292
160.	Hans Zomer	GGM	159	NED 39	80	77	32	BFD - 104	293	293
161.	Jan Van der Horst	GGM	154	NED 1	67	82	61	84	294	294
162.	Nikolaus Mair	GGM	38	ITA 93	62	75	BFD - 104	54	295	295
163.	Helmut Klammer	L	47	SUI 2	DNF - 103	58	40	96	297	297
164.	Dangis Babikas	M	19	LTU 8	73	66	82	77	298	298
165.	Maurice Duncan	L	103	NZL 213	46	87	86	80	299	299
166.	Jobs Isselmann	L	138	NED 9	67	73	91	68	299	299
167.	Jozsef Farkas	GGM	139	HUN 95	86	86	63	66	301	301
168.	Michael Kurtz	GGM	1	MON 234	50	55	93	BFD - 104	302	302
169.	Antonio Pitini	GGM	126	ITA 7	44	81	BFD - 104	74	303	303
170.	Gerald Raschke	GM	69	AUT 19	72	72	79	81	304	304
171.	Jiri Dvorak	GGM	197	CZE 76	DNF - 103	DNF - 103	92	7	305	305
172.	Jay Harrison	GGM	151	AUS 68	86	79	64	76	305	305
173.	Piotr Rosinski	GM	105	POL 27	69	85	71	85	310	310
174.	Tony Lock	L	72	GBR 611	79	76	72	85	312	312
175.	Ralf Kratz	GM	88	GER 161	85	83	93	58	319	319
176.	Hans Peter Zischg	L	89	ITA 29	95	88	51	86	320	320
177.	Howard Sellars	L	90	GBR 77	56	65	BFD - 104	97	322	322
178.	Martin Nydegger	M	174	SUI 441	85	94	62	86	327	327
179.	Peter Verhoef	GGM	23	NED 32	96	92	56	87	331	331
180.	Dirk Hooijer	GM	44	NED 900	83	84	84	80	331	331
181.	Imre Solymosi	GM	156	HUN 89	78	94	77	87	336	336
182.	Veine Jutmar	GGM	150	SWE 9	72	91	78	96	337	337
183.	Bart Kraan	L	54	NED 836	77	89	79	93	338	338
184.	David Brockbank	GGM	142	USA 1201	79	78	80	DNF - 104	341	341
185.	Tamas Beliczay	GGM	163	HUN 9	BFD - 103	70	88	84	345	345
186.	JAN OKULICZ- KOZARYN	L	14	POL 3	92	91	76	88	347	347
187.	Evgeny Dzhura	M	21	RUS 18	89	87	89	89	354	354
188.	Ioannis Giaramanis	M	2	GRE 5	91	84	86	94	355	355
189.	Ronald de Haan	GGM	68	NED 42	DNF - 103	89	85	79	356	356
190.	Szil Zsitvay	GM	133	HUN 26	73	90	BFD - 104	91	358	358
191.	Nikolay Kostov	GM	25	BUL 22	81	DNF - 103	98	83	365	365
192.	John Torrance	GGM	9	GBR 99	82	RDG - 103	90	91	366	366
193.	Hans Althaus	L	60	SUI 29	90	90	94	94	368	368
194.	Heinz Stammnitz	GGM	75	GER 40	96	92	88	95	371	371
195.	Fabio Panaro	GM	167	ITA 881	93	95	91	92	371	371
196.	Bert Veerkamp	GGM	120	NED 885	88	98	96	92	374	374
197.	Gerd Bohnsack	L	49	RSA 570	92	95	89	98	374	374
198.	Maciej Rozkrut	GM	24	POL 31	97	97	90	90	374	374
199.	John Terzenidis	M	108	GRE 17	95	96	100	90	381	381
200.	Jordan Kaloyanov	GM	26	BUL 85	94	93	99	95	381	381
201.	Jan Kominek	GGM	15	POL 127	97	96	95	93	381	381
202.	Colin Reed	L	77	BRA 35	94	DNF - 103	83	DNF - 104	384	384
203.	Hubert Sparer	GGM	45	ITA 91	DNF - 103	98	97	BFD - 104	402	402
204.	lanfranco cirillo	GM	81	ITA 212	DNF - 103	DNF - 103	DNC - 104	DNC - 104	414	414